Bad Day
by FortunesRevolver
Summary: As he tossed his belongings across the room he's been given in the castle, Asbel couldn't help but wonder where it all went wrong. Alas, instead of listening to the universes words of warning – or remaining completely oblivious to them, as he often was – the knight had continued on with his day under the hope that a shower would make it all better. [Oneshot; slight RichardAsbel]


I know I'm meant to be working on my Persona 4 fanfic, but since I've been having such a rough time, I'm still trying to get myself back in the game with little oneshots and such. It is helping a bit, so hopefully I'll actually be able to get more than a few paragraphs of _Fortuna Favet Fatuis_ done at a time if I keep this up. But for now... another Tales of Graces fanfic! The idea came to me when I was walking down the street one day and... here it is?

This time it's for my favourite pairing of the series, Richard and Asbel. It's dedicated to assbele on tumblr who is awesome and wonderful and I really hope we can continue being friends because she's really awesome and I enjoy talking to her about silly things.

* * *

As he tossed his belongings across the room he's been given in the castle, Asbel couldn't help but wonder where it all went wrong.

Perhaps when he'd woken up tangled in his sheets – something he'd never done before – and managed to fall off the mattress, striking his head on the bedside table as he went down, should have been the first sign. Maybe that had been the universe's means of urging him back under the covers and unconscious for several more hours until someone came to wake him up; that it simply wasn't meant to be a good day for him and he was better off keeping hidden and out of the way. Blankets were, after all, the safest of all havens and nothing could penetrate the worldly shield they offered. At least, for someone like Asbel, the childish nativity of such a thought still remained in his innocent mind. Alas, instead of listening to the universes words of warning – or remaining completely oblivious to them, as he often was – the knight had stumbled about the room, blinking stars from his eyes as he clumsily gathered together a clean uniform and ushered into the bathroom.

By the time he'd gotten the hot water on, the young lord had managed to not only fall a second time – this time simply face-planting into the floor – but he'd struck his hand twice on the marble sink countertop and nearly swan-dived into the bathtub when the shower rug had shifted under his feet. If the sheets hadn't been a sign, his near-fiasco in the bathroom likely should have been. But Asbel Lhant had never been the type to give up easily. The warm water had worked as a sign of hope for better things to come, soothing his aching muscles and head. The sensation of feeling clean and fresh assured him that nothing else could possibly go wrong. Thus, despite his cornucopia of mishaps, he pressed on and dressed himself.

When the auburn-haired male deemed himself presentable to be walking through the halls of Windor's castle, he turned on his heel and walked back toward the bed. Playing absently with the collar of his jacket, he reached for the bedside table, expecting to find what'd he'd left there the night previous, only for his fingers to meet empty space. Alarmed, he looked down, staring at the table as if it had just done something particularly baffling as panic started to rise in his chest. Immediately, he dropped to his knees and looked under the bed, the table, between the two, and everywhere nearby. Alas, the efforts were fruitless and he stood up again, and felt his stomach plummet.

Richard's ring, adorned on a chain he always kept under his uniform, was _gone_.

Thinking – or maybe trying to assure himself – that he might have left it in his bags, Asbel dashed across the room and threw his bag open with fevered determination. Clothes, gels, and various items were tossed aside with equal disinterest until he reached the bottom of the bag. As is fingers brushed against the bottom of the fabric, any renewed hope he'd had with the situation immediately vanished. He felt sick as his chest tightened uncomfortably and something vicious roared in his stomach. An icy chill had claimed his fingers, leaving them frigid and clammy as he stumbled clumsily about the room, picking up fallen articles of clothing in a rush to check all the pockets. Surely, _surely_ he had to have somehow missed one.

He didn't notice the he'd hit the guard who had entered his room with a pair of pants, pockets sticking out, until the man cleared his throat. Embarrassed, Asbel rubbed the back of his neck and accepted the trousers back, going pale as the guard told him that Richard had summoned him to the study.

Generally, when Richard summoned him somewhere, that means the king was going to be there as well. Meeting with Richard meant talking to Richard, and more often than not talking included looking someone in the eye. Asbel wasn't sure he could handle that right now. Guilt plagued his mind and body with a violent storm. He still hadn't found the ring and he didn't feel any closer to finding it than when he started.

_Why_ hadn't he simply just crawled back into bed that morning?

Before he realised he'd even left the room, Asbel found himself standing in front of the ornate wooden double-doors of Richard's study. Out of the corner of his eye, he could vaguely make his escort offering him a formal salute which he returned on reflex without turning. He was more than certain that most would have considered that rude, but he must have looked much worse off than he thought, as the guard gave him a look of sympathy before walking away.

For several long moments, the knight simply stood there, stalk-still, afraid to do much else. His limbs didn't seem to be properly receiving orders, as each attempt to reach for the door ended in a feeble wiggling of his fingers. The chain absent from his neck felt far heavier than anything he'd carried before, and each second that past left the burden feeling greater than before. How could he have been so careless?

Taking in a deep breath, Asbel forced himself to regain his composure and took a step forward. The longer he avoided Richard the worse things would get. The blond male had done nothing wrong, and the last thing he wanted was to hurt the friend he held so dear. Honesty would, undoubtedly, end up hurting him regardless, but if he lied and Richard found out it had gone missing or suddenly wanted it back… What could he do? The older male's trust meant everything to him; he wouldn't risk tarnishing it over a lie. He couldn't; he wouldn't be able to handle losing it.

As he reached for the door, the wooden barrier suddenly swung inward. Asbel flinched, reeling back as if he'd been hit with the door and stood frozen, gaze locked with the very person he'd been debating over seeing.

"R-Richard!"

"Asbel, there you are…" the blond monarch smiled gently as he stepped aside, making room for the other. "Please, come in. I've something important to discuss with you."

"Uh…" the redhead hesitated, eyes locking with the floor as he searched his mind for an excuse to leave. Maybe he couldn't handle this after all. That ring must have been precious; a family heirloom or _something_. He knew it must have had value, given Richard's initial reason for giving it to him, but its worth in gald had never been the reason Asbel held it so dear. "Right, I… I have something I need to talk to you about as well."

Slipping into the room, Asbel made his way toward the mahogany desk in the center and stood beside the unused guest chair. He could feel the ice-cold chill returning to his hands and spine, leaving his fingers numb. The idea of turning and sprinting out the door briefly crossed his mind, but it wouldn't be becoming of a knight to do so, nor respectful to Richard, and he knew well it was the latter that kept him in the room.

"Asbel…?"

Pulled out of his thoughts, the younger male turned to face his friend, blinking owlishly in confusion. Richard was giving him a concerned look, and he unintentionally flinched, wondering what he'd managed to give away already. "I—huh?"

"I said you should go first. What I had to say could wait," Richard spoke slowly, watching the younger carefully. "Are you feeling alright, Asbel?"

"I'm fine, I just…" Asbel sighed, bringing a hand up to scratch his head. "…it's just been a rough morning."

Gesturing to the chair Asbel stood beside, Richard's demeanor changed almost immediately as worry made itself glaringly present on his face. "Why don't you sit down? Would you… like to talk about what happened? I'm always ready and willing to lend an ear should you need help."

"I know…" the lord replied gently, shaking his head at the chair. "I just… I don't… know how to explain."

"Has something happened?"

Asbel almost wanted to laugh, a bitter sound rising in his throat, but he swallowed it before it could escape. "You… could say that."

Silence filled the room as Asbel struggled to find the right words. How did one explain they'd lost something as important as a king's ring? He was certain Richard would know he'd never do something like that intentionally, but that didn't change the fact that it happened. Perhaps with as worked up as he was, the other would see he was genuine in his sorrow for not having the item in his possession anymore. It wasn't that he was expecting or even hoping that it would avoid punishment – as he fully believed he deserved that – but as long as Richard believe he'd never _meant_ to lose it – as he was, very much so – that was enough for him.

"I… do you… remember the thing you let me borrow when we were children?"

"The… thing?" Richard repeated, raising an eyebrow in question, "Ah, you're referring to my ring, correct?"Asbel nodded in response. "What of it?"

"I… Well, once I started attending the Academy, I kept it on a chain around my neck."

"I remember seeing that… I'd wondered what it was. I had always assumed it was a necklace from Cheria… or perhaps Sophie."

"What…? No!" Asbel jumped, shaking his head rapidly. Richard appeared as taken aback as he felt with his sudden protest, but the idea of him accepting a gift that could be considered intimate from someone else – that's the last thing he needed right now. Why couldn't he just explain bluntly? It should have never been this difficult.

Clenching his fists at his side, Asbel lowered his head, eyes hidden by his bangs. He could feel his pulse roaring in his ears as his heart thudded painfully against his chest. If he didn't say anything, Richard was likely to drop the subject out of fear that _he_ might be too stressed to talk. He was the last person who deserved pity at the moment, and the thought of being dishonest any longer made him feel as queasy as losing the ring had. The blond deserved to know; it wasn't even Asbel's ring to lose.

"Asbel…" Richard spoke, his voice quiet and gentle, "You know that you can tell me anything without fear of judgement."

"I know, I just—"

"But if this is too difficult for you to speak of, then perhaps if we waited until later…"

"No!" The protest came out as a half-shout, making Richard jump and Asbel wince yet again. He needed to get this out. "I… the ring…"

"Yes…?"

"I…"

"Asbel…"

"I lost it!" Asbel didn't dare look up as he closed his eyes, shoulders going stiff. "I… I thought I left it on my bedside table… I was sure it was there, but after I came out of the bathroom this morning… it _wasn't_, and I couldn't find it anywhere." When Richard didn't respond, the knight's shoulders slumped as he awaited the sure-to-come anger. "I'm so sorry, Richard…"

If he'd looked up, Asbel would have seen Richard moving around the desk and back toward him. He didn't notice the other's movements until he felt a hand around his wrist. Without thinking, the knight turned his head, opening his cheek as if expecting a slap. When nothing came, he remained still, eyes still closed, waiting.

"Asbel," Richard's tone was gentle as he spoke, the soft rustling of fabric breaking the short pause before he continued. "Open your eyes… Please."

Not wanting to see the disappointment, but not wanting to go against the other's request either, Asbel slowly raised his head, blinking when he didn't see Richard in front of him, which seemed strange, given he still felt a hand on his wrist. "Wha…?"

"Look down."

Answering the command on reflex, the young lord lowered his gaze and nearly choked on his own breath. Richard had lowered himself to one knee before him, and nestled between the blond's forefinger and thumb was the very ring he'd spent the entire morning fretting over.

"H-huh?" A sputter slipped passed his lips before he could stop it as he felt heat quickly pooling in his cheeks. The pulse he'd thought to be quick before was positively racing. He could almost feel the blood rushing through his veins, warming his entire body rapidly as sapphire-violet irises met golden hues. "Ri… chard?"

"Do you remember what meaning this ring held when I originally gave it to you, Asbel?"

"You…" Asbel swallowed thickly, taking in a deep breath. "You gave it to me so the castle guards would let me visit you whenever I pleased."

The king nodded, sliding his hand down Asbel's wrist to cradle his hand in both of his, ring still held carefully between two fingers. "So that we'd always be connected. And later…"

"…We found out it unlocked my father's sword. A gift… a gift from your father to mine."

"Indeed," Richard nodded a second time, a smile slowly beginning to spread across his face. "As I've heard it said 'the third time's the charm.' Would you mind if I changed this ring's meaning once more? A final, more concrete meaning?"

Feeling his breath suddenly catch in his throat, Asbel lost the ability to speak as he offered a nod of his own. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he could make out Lambda's cackling as he made a sarcastic remark, but he was too stunned to properly process what the spirit was saying. Richard had but all of his focus.

"Then…" hesitating, the bravado he'd seem to effortlessly display slowly beginning to diminish. He was every bit as nervous as Asbel, if not more-so, and the knight could see it in the older male's eyes. "Asbel…"

"Richard…" he whispered, curling his fingers around the blond's hand as best he could.

"…You've saved me time and time again, ever since we were children. My life has been in your debt more times than I can count. Even when I betrayed you and everyone I knew and allowed myself to succumb to my own anger and mistrust in the world… you still reached out to me; you still saved me. You've been the sword at my side and the wind which guides not only my blade, but my very being. I cannot claim to have anyone I am able to trust as openly as I do you. I owe you the greatest of debts, yet I can only repay you with myself… and pray that you might allow me to hold and cherish you as well."

Once more, Asbel was at a loss for words and he nodded, feeling his eyes begin to grow wide. His mouth felt dry, and his vocal cords had lost all ability to function. His heart had moved from a powerful hammer in his chest to a sporadic fluttering in his throat. The knight was certain he knew what was coming, but he didn't dare allow himself to believe it. Not just yet. He needed to hear it first.

"There will, admittedly… be complications. I cannot promise people will not protest, the fact that we are both male or that you are unable to producing heir, yet, if you are willing… it is something I will gladly face side by side without regret." Richard's words were slowly gathering more vigor as his speech went on. Despite this, Asbel could feel the other's skin growing cold and clammy as nervousness refused to leave the monarch alone. Not that the knight could blame him; he'd be more than a mess if their positions were reversed. He could barely admit to having thought he lost the ring, let alone use it for _this._ "That being said…"

"Y-yes…?"

"Asbel…" Silence, followed by a sharp intake of air, "will you allow me the honour and great pleasure of your hand in marriage?"

Behind them, the lord and king remained oblivious to the study doors opening. "Your highness," Dalen began, looking over a stack of papers in his arms, "I wanted to speak with you about…" The sentence faded out, the Duke's train of thought lost while watching the two males in front of him wrapped in one another's arms as laughter filled the room.


End file.
